Thanksgiving, a week early

We're here! Our caravan of vehicles were loaded, driven, unloaded and returned to their proper locations. The bulk of the boxes have been unpacked and their contents put away. School books have re-emerged from banishment, much to the chagrin of two little boys.

 This afternoon Andy and I were working on one of those last projects. One that makes it really feel like home, but truly, truly is not fun.

 Hanging pictures.

 I don't know. Maybe some people enjoy hanging pictures. But I can never decide what goes where; which color frame matches the other decor, what size is needed to fill a certain wall.

 Then there is the actual hanging. Argh!

 I must say though that moving, and hanging, and re-hanging pictures has been fabulous for our marriage.

 Not so much right at the beginning.

 But I think we have gotten the hang of it. Maybe.

 Those old rules about "measure twice, cut once"... it is the same for "hammer once". We went thought a lot of putty in our first few houses. We have gotten better about discussing every picture first.

 At one of our first houses he hung all the pictures, and they were so high up that I could barely see them. There was some disagreement about that. The next house he was still deployed when we moved in, so my mom and I did most of the decorating before he even came home. There was some disagreement about that too.

 Today we took it one picture at a time, enjoyed a rainy afternoon, and measured everything at least twice.

 Until the measuring tape broke in half. Literally.

 We decided it was time to take a break after that!


 I read somewhere recently, "What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you remembered to thank God for today."

 Thankfulness has been on my mind a good bit lately. As we unpacked and I opened boxes of things I had not seen in a year, in this beautiful house that I never could have imagined- I am reminded of how much I have to be thankful for. Loud, rambunctious boys that run up and down the stairs every day. Food, that I love to make, in the amazing array we have available to us here in America, and that fits beautifully into the pantry here. My beautiful addiction who gets up at 5 every morning to go to PT, and the fact that he can. The proximity of a fully stocked and free to use pharmacy. Internet access, which I took for granted before Missouri. People to love, and be loved in return.

 Thanksgiving is coming, and most of our nation will spend the day stuffing themselves, watching the parade, and preparing for a day of shopping early the next morning.

 But hopefully the name of the holiday will stand out just a little and remind people why we take a rest on that day.

 To THANK God for their amazing blessings.

 Everyone has them.

 Different then mine. That is what makes them their blessings. But blessings none the less.

 Start practicing now. Thank Him tonight too.

Blessings to you,